Vaughn Vernonwood
"There is honour among thieves, but there's none among politicians" - Vaughn Vernonwood Vaughn Vernonwood is the head of the Black Dragon Brotherhood, one of the largest and most powerful organised crime syndicate in Erradan. He is a strong black dragonkin who at first glance seems like a brutish thug, but is actually surprisingly intelligent and strategic. Vaughn is an acquaintance of Jeric Arcastrian, Evelyn Munroe, and Catalyst, and is a major character in the Escapists campaign. Physical Description Standing at almost seven feet tall, with powerful muscles and broad shoulders, Vaughn is an imposing figure. This is exacerbated by the black draconic scales that cover his forearms, legs, and back. Dragon blood is strong in Vaughn's family, lending him increased strength and rending claws. He also has a short thick tail. Vaughn is primarily Erdannian, yet has some Whyteholder heritage, giving him pale skin and a broad figure. Vaughn's hair and beard are black as coal, and his eyes are dark brown. He has a thick, yet neatly trimmed, beard which he keeps fairly short. His hair is cut short on the back and sides. Vaughn tends to wear fairly expensive suits, custom tailored to fit his unique body. His favourite outfit is a white three-piece suit with a black tie. Personality Vaughn is a confident and authoritative leader, who inspires respect in his followers and fear in his enemies. His voice has a weight of threat and command that makes even the toughest of thugs scramble to respond, and if they don't, he'll enforce his commands with a fist. Vaughn is slow to anger, but when he is angry, his wrath is legendary. Vaughn is quite a violent man, and is quick to start throwing punches. However, Vaughn is no tyrant, and can be strangely kind. He is highly charitable to the members of the Black Dragon Brotherhood, and rewards loyalty. His criminal activities are largely performed to benefit the poorer people of Erradan, and mainly target the rich and corrupt. He has a soft spot for women, children, and dogs, especially his drakehound Razor. Vaughn is highly intelligent and perceptive. He has a good understanding of politics, law, economics, and strategy. These skills were instrumental in re-forming the Black Dragon Brotherhood after the death of his father. Vaughn is slow to trust, and is often very guarded to others. However, once he does trust somebody, he will never betray them. Vaughn despises backstabbers and traitors. Background Vaughn's father was Varian Vernonwood, a fearsome crime boss who ruled the Black Dragon Brotherhood with an iron fist. He had an older brother named Victor, and a mother named Veronica. As well as being in charge of the gang, Varian ran the Vernonwood whiskey distillery, the front for the brotherhood. Varian was a ruthless teacher to his children, ensuring they were educated and trained in combat, even if it meant long days and sleepless nights. Varian was murdered by an opposing gang member in the year 20.70. The Black Dragon Brotherhood splintered into fractions, and a violent gang war broke out. Vaughn's brother, Victor, tried desperately to take back the territory and assets that had belonged to their father, and became a violent tyrant. During this power struggle, Victor killed their mother Veronica. Vaughn was distraught at this, yet knew what he had to do. Vaughn raised his own faction in the power struggle and eventually had to kill his own brother. For several months after this, he was dedicated to re-uniting the Black Dragon Brotherhood, and succeeded. During this time, Vaughn fell in love with a former prostitute named Jordanna, and they had a child. Jordanna was killed by his enemies, and in revenge Vaughn personally slaughtered all of those responsible. Since then, he has never been in a relationship. The child, whose name was Tobias and was born paralysed from the waist down, was sent to be cared for in a different part of the city, and never told about his father's actual job. Vaughn visited only occasionally, and made certain that nobody else knew about the child. By the year 20.86, Vaughn had used his intellect and leadership to grow the Brotherhood to become bigger than ever before. The gang had become an important faction among the lower classes of the city, and Vaughn himself was often considered the "kingpin" of the criminal underworld in Erradan. In 20.87, Vaughn was caught red-handed by Inspector Ander Rothwin, and sent to Bleakstone prison. Much later, when Evelyn, Catalyst, and Jeric would arrive, marks the beginning of the Escapists campaign. Skills and Abilities Vaughn is a highly competent fighter, and is one of the most dangerous brawlers in the city. His size, strength, and draconic claws make him a fearsome opponent in melee. Additionally, he is no stranger to firearms, and often goes into battle wielding his shotgun. Vaughn is a well muscled man at the peak of human fitness, yet he his not particularly agile. Vaughn is known for being particularly intelligent and educated. He is knowledgeable about law, politics, and even economics, and is a strategic genius. He is also a highly confident and charismatic leader, able to inspire loyalty and trust in his followers. Acquaintances and Relatives Claw - Second-in-command Switchblade Snake-Eyes Tobias - Son Narhanata Shazad Evelyn Jeric Catalyst Razor - Drakehound pet